At some point in your life as a student, you were probably introduced to Ancient Chinese history in one form or another. This orientation probably consisted of an eye-glazing, mind-numbing cacophony of unfamiliar names, dates and events. Rather than repeat that process, I would like to challenge you to examine one particular dynasty. What sorts of criteria would we use to determine greatness of a dynasty or a country? Consider the following questions as a class:
Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
What collective impact have all dynasties had on Chinese civilization up to the present day?
To research your dynasty, you and a partner examine the readings from our text, and research using ABC-CLIO (kis and welcome). Be sure to also use the link above to Chinese Dynasties Time Line. Come to the your scheduled class prepared to debate with your classmates "for" or "against" your dynasty in a formal debate. The winner of the debate will be crowned with the Chinese Dynasty Crown. Your dynasty and partner are posted under your class.
To organize your notes, use the following document for information.
Rise and Fall of Chinese Dynasties Chart 2011.pages
Note: For a complete mark out of 25 (20 for the debate and 5 for having completed the chart above) The above chart when completed should be uploaded to Google as per my usual instructions. Rubric for Chinese Dynasty Smackdown
What Must Be Done Before the Smackdown First off, this is really a debate, but there are so many teams that you won't be able to attack all of them. So just focus on attacking say three (and do it quickly). This is a learning experience for you. As such I will be seeking to find that you have completed the chart above as part of your preparation. No chart and your team will be penalized on your grade (1/2 point deduction for every box that is incomplete). This is to be done on Google docs. There are also approaches that must also be done on Google docs:
Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?" and Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
So, three items must be placed on Google docs, the chart, and two long answer questions. You, your partner and I will be the only ones able to edit your documents. Be sure to set up your documents as follows (you have seen this before): BlockYour last nameYour given name as it appears in Power School and then in parentheses ( ) your English name if you have one and thenSmackdown NO COMMAS NO PERIODS
HOW THE SMACK DOWN WILL GO DOWN...AND I MEAN YOU'RE "GOING DOWN" (Wait, I am not playing)
Each team is allotted a maximum of 2 minutes to present why their dynasty is deserving of being called the greatest dynasty in Chinese history. For eleven dynastic teams that is a total of 22 minutes.
Each team is allotted a maximum of 1 minute to attack other dynasties attempting to prove why they're not worthy of contention for being the greatest dynasty in Chinese history. For eleven teams that is 11 minutes.
Finally, each team is allotted a maximum of 2 minutes to provide a rebuttal to any attacks launched against their dynasty, and then to wrap up with a conclusion why they are worthy to be THE GREATEST DYNASTY IN CHINA'S HISTORY. For eleven teams that is 22 minutes.
Your grades will be determined by several factors during this debate (see rubric above):
How well you present your information. Its quality and pertinence to the point you're seeking to make.
How well you construct attacks on other dynasties, and by which you are able to attack. By this I mean many students will simply gang up on three or four of the eleven dynasties, and thus will be simply echoing the words that have already been said. Once your team's turn comes and, say no one has attacked one of the dynasties, then should your team be able to attack said dynasty is says to me that you were so well prepared for this that you could attack anyone rather than following the group. Getting away from that 'lemming approach' means much to me and shows how well you can think fast.
Respect for other groups despite your attacking them. Know this, you are attacking their dynasty and specifically what they might have said about it. Do not reduce this to such statements as, "What you said was stupid...", or "You are being mentally vacuous...". Show respect (Remember the teachings of Confucius).
Your use of voice. Speak clearly and deliberately. Your voice is like punctuation in writing; used correctly it adds much to what you're saying.
OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN
Absences do not alleviate responsibility for contributions or for the execution of this. By this I mean that if you are absent, then you had better be working with your partner helping them prepare for this. I will look very unfavorably on absences of convenience or evidence of a lack of cooperation for this. Your partner's absence means nothing other than you are going it alone. Both of you had better be prepared in the event one of you is alone for all or for parts of this.
No computers are allowed to be on/open during this event. If you need to use notes, then bring in the hard copies.
This is about how well you can think and communicate on the spot. It is also about how well prepared you are. This is going to take a few nights and days in class to prepare and execute. During this time it is imperative that you become an expert on your own dynasty and be very familiar with all the others. Use your Chinese teachers for this as well. Ask anyone of them the question posed for this and they will all have an answer. You will be impressed. To this end I have informed them that some of you might ask their assistance in terms of responding to that question or another like it. Do note that they will be expressing an opinion supported by evidence. Essentially this is what you will all be doing.
ABOVE ALL ELSE - HAVE FUN, USE HUMOR AND REMEMBER: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE DYNASTY BEING BETTER THAN THE REST - THEY ALL FELL AND THEY ALL MADE SOME SORT OF CONTRIBUTION TO CHINA AND THE WORLD.
MAP OF CHINESE DYNASTIES
= Philosophies in East Asia=
There are three main philosophies in East Asia. They are Buddhism (not included below), Confucianism and Tao or Dao-ism. The latter two of those and Legalism have been selected for this DBQ exercise. Know that we will use the same format explored in World History 9 here at KIS. That is APPARTS.
Review the following three documents. Each one will have a short version (that's the one you should focus on) as well as a long version (use this when you require a deeper, more detailed explanation of what is being discussed in the short version). Purpose: SWBT define features of each of Legalism, Taoism and Confucianism; identify features of each one of these philosophies and the motives for them. Product: Three retrieval charts following the APPARTS model explained above. Due: TBA
At some point in your life as a student, you were probably introduced to Ancient Chinese history in one form or another. This orientation probably consisted of an eye-glazing, mind-numbing cacophony of unfamiliar names, dates and events. Rather than repeat that process, I would like to challenge you to examine one particular dynasty. What sorts of criteria would we use to determine greatness of a dynasty or a country? Consider the following questions as a class:
Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
What collective impact have all dynasties had on Chinese civilization up to the present day?
To research your dynasty, you and a partner examine the readings from our text, and research using ABC-CLIO (kis and welcome). Be sure to also use the link above to Chinese Dynasties Time Line. Come to the your scheduled class prepared to debate with your classmates "for" or "against" your dynasty in a formal debate. The winner of the debate will be crowned with the Chinese Dynasty Crown.
Your dynasty and partner are posted under your class.
To organize your notes, use the following document for information.
Note: For a complete mark out of 25 (20 for the debate and 5 for having completed the chart above) The above chart when completed should be uploaded to Google as per my usual instructions.
Rubric for Chinese Dynasty Smackdown
What Must Be Done Before the Smackdown
First off, this is really a debate, but there are so many teams that you won't be able to attack all of them. So just focus on attacking say three (and do it quickly). This is a learning experience for you. As such I will be seeking to find that you have completed the chart above as part of your preparation. No chart and your team will be penalized on your grade (1/2 point deduction for every box that is incomplete). This is to be done on Google docs. There are also approaches that must also be done on Google docs:
- Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?" and Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
So, three items must be placed on Google docs, the chart, and two long answer questions. You, your partner and I will be the only ones able to edit your documents. Be sure to set up your documents as follows (you have seen this before): Block Your last nameYour given name as it appears in Power School and then in parentheses ( ) your English name if you have one and thenSmackdown NO COMMAS NO PERIODSHOW THE SMACK DOWN WILL GO DOWN...AND I MEAN YOU'RE "GOING DOWN" (Wait, I am not playing)
OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN
=
Philosophies in East Asia=
There are three main philosophies in East Asia. They are Buddhism (not included below), Confucianism and Tao or Dao-ism. The latter two of those and Legalism have been selected for this DBQ exercise. Know that we will use the same format explored in World History 9 here at KIS. That is APPARTS.
Review the following three documents. Each one will have a short version (that's the one you should focus on) as well as a long version (use this when you require a deeper, more detailed explanation of what is being discussed in the short version).
Purpose: SWBT define features of each of Legalism, Taoism and Confucianism; identify features of each one of these philosophies and the motives for them.
Product: Three retrieval charts following the APPARTS model explained above.
Due: TBA
Confucianism